Merry Christmas everyone!
I own nothing...nothing at all.
Chapter 8
"You only saw a part of why she is with us Jasper," said Aro making me pull away from Bella's eyes.
"We admit that her fighting is legendary," smiled Marcus fondly down at us. "But it is also who she is on the inside that we love. The way she always seems to disarm most with a smile, draw someone in with just a look makes her one of a kind. The staff and guard hold her in awe because of who she, not just what she does and what position she holds. She is something very special to us." Reading the rooms emotion, while listening to their words I could see that this beautiful woman had changed the Volturi. They still were the super-power of our world, but they now had heart and that was all because of the woman in front of me.
"We understand that it might have been her two special powers that pulled us to her in the beginning, we are so happy that it did, but she is now part of the family, and she will always be apart of us even if her power dried up and went away," finished Caius.
"Ah come on guys, don't make me turn human so I can blush," said Bella ducking her head, causing the hair that came loose in her fight to block her eyes from me.
"I don't understand," I looked to the brothers, "I have seen her use more then two powers." I did not even try to cover my confusion, from the smirks around the room I was not the first to be confused.
"Bella," said Aro, "maybe you should explain." Yes, Bella maybe you could explain! Someone explain.
"Okay Jasper," she pulled me closer to her, keeping our hands linked. "What Powers have you seen me use?" What the hell is this, High school? A pop quiz to see if I was paying attention?
"Well," I started, the last thing I saw was those two guard members disappear. "You just teleported those guys somewhere, so I am assuming that you can teleport yourself as well."
"Yes, I can. Let's separate my powers into two groups, so they are easier to understand," she nodded with a smile. "My teleportation goes into group 2."
"Then, there is your invisibility," I said, it was the next one on the list. It would seem I was working backwards on what I had seen today.
"That one goes into group 2." My mind starts turning. What does Teleportation and Invisibility have in common that they would be in the same group?
"You can also send your own thoughts to someone else and hear them back."
"Yes, on that one I can also link minds so it is easier to communicate, you just think what you want the others to hear and they do. That power also goes into group 2." I still don't see a connection.
"You are also telekinetic which is how you got my chair, the robe and your staff." That power had to go into another group. Telekinesis was a defensive power, but weren't the others also defensive? All those would be very useful in a battle situation.
"Group 2," she said calmly. I started to rub circles on the back of her hands as I thought. At my touch I watched her eyes flutter and start to roll back in her head. I could have sworn I heard her swallow a whimper.
"Then, there was the way you blocked your scent once you realized I was at the bookstore too." Here was another defensive power. To be able to sneak up on ones opponent on the battle field, to have the advantage of a surprise attack was a great asset in many violent situations.
"Of course she was a bookstore," said Caius with a snort. It would seem that some thing don't really change, books were still a big thing for Human Bella. I wonder if she still carried a book in her purse? Out of the corner of my eye I watched a clipboard, that was resting on Bella's original seat raise up, fly over to Caius and started beating him upside the head. "Sorry," he said rubbing his head while everyone laughed. I could not help but join in, nor could I keep the huge grin from my face at the innocent look on her face, the amusement barely hidden in her eyes.
"That as well goes into group 2. Come on Jasper think!" The way she looked at me I felt as if I was missing something very obvious. "Alright, I will give you a hint…you need to remember one more." She saw that I was going through the list backwards from what I saw today. Although the only other power I could think of was her shield, though I really saw it when she was human.
"Well, when you were human we always thought maybe you were some sort of shield, which is why Edward could not hear your thoughts." I said quietly, not sure how much of her history she had shared with the others in the room.
"Very good. We will put that one in group one." Wait, I don't understand... Okay ability to block her mind from Edward was not as important in volatile situations. She did supposedly put up a physical shield up around the brothers. A physical shield was another defensive power, how did it get put in another group? "Now that we have sorted the ones you have seen, let us replace the word group with power." What. The. Hell? There was no way what I had seen today was all one power. There was just no way.
"How can all those powers be one power?" I asked obviously stating the apparent question.
"Have you ever heard of an absorber?" What the Fuck was again the only thing going through my mind, it seemed that it has become my mantra today. My confusion was apparently clear on my face when Bella continued with her explanation. "Okay maybe you know it as another name. It can also goes by 'copycat' or 'a sponge'?"
"You take others powers?" I asked a little frightened.
"No," she sighed as she watched my eyes go wide. She shook her head slightly as she took a deep breath. "I absorb a power and copy it to myself, the owner keeps their power. Although I do have absorbed a power to take away powers if I needed to, or block them." It sounded as if this was an explanation that she had to tell a lot.
"So you absorbed my power?" In a combat situation there was not telling how useful she could be. There was no telling how many talented Vampires she had met, how many powers she had absorbed. If only a quarter of her powers were like the ones I had seen today there would be no reason to ever raise an army again.
"Nope," her eye back on me amusement flickering in her golden orbs. "I am a unique one. We believe that because I have a very strong shield, it allows me to switch my powers on and off at will."
"So you can switch all your powers on and off?" Didn't she just say that Jasper?
"Yup." Her smile continued as if she could hear me rant to myself in my head.
"You have more powers then what I have already seen?" Again with the obvious question, what can I say... I may be suffering from an overload of mind-blowing information. In other words I have had to many 'What the Fuck/Hell' moments.
"Yup." Holy Sweet Mother of God she was a force to be reckoned with! Depending on the powers that she absorbed she could be a one woman army. My next question was going to be if I could see all of them, but it seemed that Caius had other ideas.
"As much as I enjoy watching you show off your powers," said Caius, "we have other plans."
"What pray tell am I interrupting brother?" Bella turned her face from me and glaring at her brother.
"For your information sister, your other brothers and I have not sated our thirst in awhile. So unless you are going to change your diet then I suggest we hurry this up little miss smartypants," replied Caius.
"Eww!" I couldn't help the small snort at her as she crinkled up her nose in disgust at the thought of drinking human blood. "I don't think so. How about you Jasper, would you like to stay?" She turned to me with the question that I was expecting. I have truly worked hard these past years to get control over my thirst and I was not going to go back to who I once was.
"No, I am quite content with my diet the way it is," I could not help the grimace. I wish I could feel Bella's emotions, I wanted to know if she believed me that I wanted to stay on my current diet.
"Then let us get back to the official meeting then," said Aro gesturing to her empty seat on his right.
"Fine," she said as she slowly, almost unwillingly, pulled her hands from mine. I couldn't help feeling slightly smug that she wanted my touch, not wanting it to end. "Fine, I'm coming." The room broke out is quiet laughter as she threw her cloak back on and flopped into her seat like a little kid having a tantrum.
"That was real ladylike Bella," smiled Aro, getting a very childlike response from her, she wrinkled her nose and stuck her tongue out. "As was that."
"Alright, lets get this show on the road I really don't want to be anywhere near here when your meal arrives. Jasper you might want to stand for this." Would it really matter if I was standing or sitting for the rest of this meeting or not? "Sorry in an official meeting only the Volturi Leaders sit," she answered almost as if she had heard my thoughts.
"As I told you before Jasper, we know why you are here. Until after meeting you today on her outing, Bella did not know anything about this meeting," said Caius.
"So you really did not try to trick me into coming?" I had to ask. Even with everything that happened here I needed to make sure.
"I told you so earlier." I didn't mean to hit a nerve with asking my question, but I clearly I did when I could see her eyes start to darken as she got slightly upset with me. I just occurred to me that Bella might not be someone I want to piss completely off, there is no telling what she could do to me!
"Anyway," Aro started trying to cover for Bella's sudden mood change. "It has come to our attention that you Jasper, are wanting to join the ranks of the Volturi guard. Is that correct?"
"Yes, it is sir," I answered him calmly.
"I don't want to interrupt here, but I have a couple questions," Bella raised her hand to stop Aro from going further. The three of them just shrugged their shoulders and sighed, I swear I heard one of them mutter something that sound like 'of course you do.' "Jasper, before you met me this morning did you truly want to join the guard?"
"I am not sure what you are asking." I stated raising my eyebrows in question.
"How sure were you this morning that you wanted to join the guard? Did finding me in Italy change your mind?" Do I tell her the truth? I was not sure if I wanted to join or not. This was supposed to be an informational meeting really. Now that I knew that Bella was here, that she was my mate I sure as Hell was going to stay. If that meant I needed to join the guard then so be it.
"I will admit that before this morning I was not completely sold on the idea, I thought that maybe I would talk a little today go back to my place and think it over. I was pretty sure I wanted to join. I will also admit that finding you this morning did influence my thought process." I looked her in the eyes as I answered the question the best I could, I would not lie to her. I still needed to let her know what was helping me make my decision. "In listening to your story earlier, you hit a mark with me. You said that you wanted to do something, that you were tired of just moving around and that is the same with me. After leaving the family that is all that is exactly what I have been doing."
"So you really want to join the guard?" She asked in a quiet voice. In that voice I saw the old Bella. In that voice I could see the damage that my family had done in leaving her all those years ago. I might not have been able to feel her insecurities and fear that I was not going to stay with my gift, but I felt them in my heart. I hurt when my Mate hurt. I would do anything to make her better again.
"Yes I do." In joining the guard I was making the first step in helping her.
"One last question. If I allow you to join my rag tag team are you going to have issues taking orders from a woman? More to the fact are you going to have a problem taking orders from me? No matter where I place you in the guard all orders originate from me." Was she serous? Had anyone not told her of my life before the Cullen's?
"I do not have a problem taking orders from women," I smiled slightly at the fact that I again was going to working under a woman, although this woman was slightly scarier then the first and that was something that I never thought would happen. "I am sure you know my history?" I was relieved when she nodded, it was not something I would look forward to telling her.
"Brothers, I see no reason to stop him from joining the guard. I also think that placing him into the Elite guard would be beneficial to us all," she said after giving mean appraising look and a nod.
"I agree with our sister," said Aro with little time to think. "What say you Marcus?"
"I also agree with our sister," stated Marcus who like Aro did not over-think the vote.
"What say you Caius," asked Aro.
"I agree with our sister," said Caius trying to fight a smile. "Oh though I hate to admit she is right."
"With an unanimous vote, which does not happen often, you are admitted into the guard," stated Aro. "But let me remind you, that it is up to Bella if you stay in the guard, we just get you in the door."
"Thank you." Okay well that sounded foreboding.
"Sora," Bella called to her assistant.
"Of course Mistress," replied Sora starting toward me.
"Jasper, since I have taken over the guard there has been some changes. The guard is no longer for life nor do we force anyone to join. Sora," the named Vampire handed me a file on a clipboard, "has some paperwork that I ask that you go thru. Normally, I would go thru it with you now, but given my brothers have somewhere else to be, I won't waist their time." I just nodded, I did not want to be in the room while they fed either.
"Is there anything else we need to discuss," asked Aro looking at the others on the dais. "Then I think it is time for us to depart." He stood in front of Bella's seat, offering her his hand in a practiced way.
"Thank you, brother," she smiled, taking his had to rise. 'Jasper, stay with Sora until we leave the room. I will meet you at Gianna's desk as soon as I can,' I heard her in my head as they walked in precision off the dais and out of the room. Once the door closed the room started to empty with out much noise.
"Excuse me, Mr. Cullen," said Sora pulling my attention to her. "If you would please come with me," she turned to the main door. "I can take you to the entrance hall and give you time to read through the information presented to you by Mistress Isabella.
"Well then, Miss Sora, please lead the way." I gave her a small bow and let her lead the way out of the room.
Okay so as always I want to remind everyone that Real like is Hell at the moment, with no relief in site; it is actually getting worse. So in other words updates are still going to be few and far between.
Also for the time being Sovereign of Prophecy is NOT going to be posted to any site (FFnet or Twiwrite), but put up on my new blog. www. wordsrunrampant. wordpress. com (Take the spaces out to get address) I will be posting Sovereign of Prophecy (SoP) and another story there, as well as tidbits of what the Hell is going on in my life. There are some posts already up, along with the prologue of SoP.
Please remember I am on Twitter and now the blog so feel free to reach out and talk or kick me in the butt (NICELY). If I can I will respond.